a. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns remote surveillance, and in particular, concerns a portable device and system for permitting stealthy surveillance of a closed area.
b. Related Art
Military and law enforcement agencies use and rely on surveillance to provide themselves with a tactical advantage during a future encounter with an adversary, or to determine whether or not to engage the adversary at all. The type of surveillance used depends upon many factors, including, for example, conditions and characteristics of the area at which the encounter is to take place.
In many instances, specially trained military units and law enforcement personnel must enter potentially hostile closed areas such as buildings or rooms. For example, special ingress operations may be required in a terrorist-hostage setting or when serving a warrant. Although the use of speed and overwhelming force and numbers often conveys a decisive tactical advantage to law enforcement and military personnel, they (as well as any hostages) are still subject to harm. Thus, surveillance can be used to further reduce the risk of harm to law enforcement and military personnel and/or hostages.
Unfortunately, there is often no way of predicting an area which will be the site of an encounter between law enforcement or military personnel and their adversary. Hence, the means for surveillance should be portable and capable of rapid deployment. If the surveillance means requires assembly, such assembly should be easy, quick, quiet and not require extra tools. To maintain the tactical advantage of surprise, the means for surveillance should permit virtually silent and invisible operation (i.e., have stealthy operation). In the event, however, that the adversary detects the surveillance means, it is advantageous to minimize the exposure of the operator(s) of the surveillance means.
Night vision has been employed by military and law enforcement personnel to provide themselves with a tactical advantage over their adversaries. Some night vision units include an infra-red light source to illuminate the area being observed with radiation that is, visually, almost imperceptible. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,707,595, Re. Pat. No. 33,572 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,130,527 discuss night vision systems. Unfortunately, these systems are only useful in instances in which the area to be surveyed is open (i.e., unobstructed). For example, the systems discussed in these patents are not useful for surveying areas behind walls or behind closed doors.
Although some military and law enforcement personal use mirrors to view around obstructions, the use of mirrors often cannot convey a detailed scan of the area to be entered and can betray the position of law enforcement or military personnel to their adversary.
In view of the foregoing, it would be an advance in the art to provide a portable means for stealthy surveillance, particularly of closed areas. Any assembly required for the means for surveillance should be easy, quick, quiet and not require additional tools. Further, the means for surveillance should permit stealthy operation and should permit a thorough scan of the area to be entered. Furthermore, the means for surveillance should minimize the exposure of its operator to danger and should be adjustable for use by operators of various heights. Moreover, the means for surveillance should be operable in harsh environments. Finally, the means for surveillance should permit relatively dark areas to be surveyed.